Gregor MacGregor pulled off one of history’s most audacious scams when he convinced investors and settlers that he was the rightful ruler of a lush, prosperous Central American paradise called Poyais. In reality, the “kingdom” was nothing more than swampy, uninhabitable land he didn’t own. Hundreds bought bonds, supplies, and even passage to this imaginary nation—only to arrive and discover there were no cities, no government, and no hope of survival. This episode dives into MacGregor’s outrageous confidence game, the tragic fallout, and how one man’s charisma nearly built an empire out of thin air.

Sources:

https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/finding/?utm_source=copilot.com

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https://www.history.com/articles/the-con-man-who-invented-his-own-country?utm_source=copilot.com

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